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Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK |
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Oklahoma Alfalfa |
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Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK |
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Oklahoma Alfalfa |
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Prickly Lettuce |
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| COMMON NAME: | Prickly Lettuce |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME: | Lactuca serriola L. |
| TYPE: | Annual Cool-season Broadleaf Weed |
| DESCRIPTION | |
| Germination: | September to October. |
| Reproduction: | By seeds in May and June. |
| Stems: | Erect, 2 to 6 feet tall, stiff, leafy, hollow, prickly on the part and containing milky juice. |
| Leaves: | Large, coarse, lower leaves more or less lobed. All with prickles along margin and center of lower surface of midrib. |
| Flowers/ Inflorescence: |
Widely branching terminal panicle, 16-24 heads with yellow ray flowers, turning blue when dry. |
| Fruit: | Achene (seed), grayish brown and tipped with white pappus. |
FOUND: |
Prickly lettuce is primarily found in roadsides, fencerows, and wasteland areas, but also invades older alfalfa stands. It can also be a problem with fall planted alfalfa. It causes problems in alfalfa, as prickly lettuce plants do not dry as fast, resulting in moldy spots during the first cutting of alfalfa hay. |
CONTROL: |
In seedling stands, prickly lettuce can be controlled with fall application of BUTYRAC 200. In established stands, some control is obtained with SINBAR, but best control has been obtained with VELPAR. |
| In Alfalfa |  Plant |
 Leaf |
 Plant |
Seed Head |
| Additional Prickly Lettuce Images | ||||
| Jim Stritzke Former Alfalfa Weed Control Specialist Department of Plant and Soil Sciences Oklahoma State University |
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